Bristol, Virginia, Obituaries: Bristol Herald Courier, July 12, 2003 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bristol Herald Courier http://www.bristolnews.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=TRI/Page/TRI_FrontPage ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities, when written permission is obtained from the contributor, so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bristol Herald Courier Saturday, July 12, 2003 Today's Deaths Sharen Kay Billings, 46, Bristol Virginia Edgar Charles, 79 Fred Garland Hawkins, 78 James Elmer Miller, 76, Wise Maxie Paris Murray, 73, Colonial Heights, Va. Ora Ratliff Ratliff, 90, Grundy Ervin J. Rife, Pound, Va. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sharen Kay Billings BRISTOL, Va. -- Mrs. Sharen Kay Billings, age 46, passed away, Friday, July 11, 2003, at the Wellmont Hospice House. She was born in Washington County, Va., was formerly of Chilhowie and had lived in Bristol for several years. She was a member of the Grosses Creek Baptist Church. Sharen was a receiving clerk at Bristol Compressors and enjoyed working with flowers. She was preceded in death by her father, Elbert Powers; and a brother, Ray Powers. She is survived by her husband, Mark S. Billings; two sons, Brian E. Sheets and wife, Stephanie, of Bristol Virginia, and Marcus D. Billings of Bristol Virginia; her mother, Rose Powers of Chilhowie; four brothers, Lloyd Powers and wife, Carolyn, J.C. Powers and wife, Judy, Darrell Powers and wife, Patty, and Lee Powers and wife, Donna, all of Chilhowie; four sisters, Stella Powers of Maryville, Tenn., Velma Doss and husband, Doug, of Chilhowie, Karen Scyphers and husband, Gary, of Abingdon and Janice Blevins and husband, Ted, of Max Meadows, Va.; sister-in-law, Carolyn Powers of Chilhowie; and her beloved dog, Wienie. Survivors also include father-in-law and mother-in-law, Roby and Mary Billings of Bristol Virginia. A graveside service will be conducted Sunday, July 13, 2003, at 3:30 p.m. in the Grosses Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, with Rev. Carl Young and Rev. Sam Haynes officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 - 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Dennis Billings, David Scyphers, Garry Hammond, Wayne Smith and Nathan Leonard. Honorary pallbearers will be the forklift operators of raw casting and receiving at Bristol Compressors. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Wellmont Hospice House, 280 Steele's Road, Bristol, TN 37620. The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff and fellow employees of Bristol Compressors and Wellmont Hospice House for all the kindness shown them during Sharen's illness. Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com. Farris Funeral Service is serving the family of Mrs. Billings. Edgar Charles Edgar Charles, 79, died Thursday, July 10, 2003, at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tenn. He was born in Prater, Dickenson County, Va., a son of the late McClellan and Loucindy Coleman Charles, and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He was a member of the American Legion and the VFW and was of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mazalee Rakes Charles; a son, Daniel William Charles; and several brothers and sisters. Survivors include two daughters, Vicky Webb of Gray, and Betty Graybeal and her husband Jack of Kingsport; son, Larry Charles and his wife Neda of Bristol Tennessee; a sister, Altie Elzwick of Detroit; a brother, Fred Charles of Ohio; eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. The funeral service will be conducted at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning in the National Cemetery at Mountain Home, with Fred Charles officiating. Burial will follow. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 o'clock Monday evening at Oakley-Cook Funeral Home. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family by visiting www.oakley- cook.com. Mr. Charles and his family are in the care of Oakley-Cook Funeral Home, Volunteer Parkway, Bristol Tennessee. Janice Dash CASTLEWOOD -- Committal services for Janice Bernice Carico Dash will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 12, 2003, in Temple Hill Memorial Park, Castlewood. The family will meet at the funeral home and go in procession to the cemetery at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Pallbearers will be Douglas Carico Jr., Brent Carico, Sean Collins, Justin Collins, Bill Higgins and Joe Coates. Online condolences may be sent to the Dash family through our Web site at www.castlewoodfuneralhome.com. Mrs. Dash, 61, died Wednesday, July 9, 2003, at her home. Castlewood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Fred G. Hawkins Mr. Fred Garland Hawkins, age 78, formerly of the Richlands area, died suddenly July 10, 2003, in a Newport News, Va. Hospital. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time. Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands will be handling the arrangements for the family. Margaret A. Messick TAZEWELL, Va. -- Funeral services for Mrs. Margaret Ann Messick will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel, Honaker, with Pastor Mike Ryan officiating. Interment will be private. Relatives and friends will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made on behalf of the family to: Honaker Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1620, Honaker, VA 24260. Mrs. Messick, age 59, passed away Thursday, July 10, 2003, in a Bristol Tennessee hospital. James E. Miller WISE -- James Elmer Miller, 76, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, July 10, 2003, at the Wellmont Lonesome Pine Hospital in Big Stone Gap, Va., following an extended illness. Mr. Miller was a member of Beverly Hills Tabernacle. He was a man of God and loved to praise the Lord through singing gospel music. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army, worked at the Lonesome Pine Airport as a mechanic and he loved to fly airplanes. Mr. Miller was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard Elmer and Ina Tempi Wheatley Miller. Surviving are his beautiful, loving wife of 56 years, Lucille Bishop Miller; son, Charles Dennis Miller of the home; sons and daughters-in-law, Jimmy Ray and Judy Miller and Mark and Wendy Miller, all of Wise; five daughters and sons-in- law, Nancy and Mack Salyers of Bean Station, Tenn., and Sandra and Bruce Thacker, Freida and Jimmy Hall, Debbie and Dennis Vanover and Sherry and Tim Barger, all of Wise; three brothers, G.T. Miller and Ralph Miller, both of Wise, and Robert Miller of Charlottesville, Va.; two sisters, Mary Collins of Wise and Dorothy Fulcher of Blountville; 17 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services for James Elmer Miller will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 13, 2003, at the Beverly Hills Tabernacle Wise, with Rev. Robin Sturgill, Rev. Bobby Stanley, Rev. Mitchell Elliott and Rev. Adam Hall, grandson, officiating. Burial will follow in the Miller Family Cemetery, Wise. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 12, 2003, at the Sturgill Funeral Home, Wise. Sturgill Funeral Home, Wise, in charge of arrangements. Maxie P. Murray COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. -- Maxie Parris Murray, 73, died Thursday, July 10, 2003, at her residence. Born in Washington County, Va., she was the daughter of the late Joseph Franklin Parris and Elizabeth Ellen Blackwell. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Colonial Heights. Surviving are daughter, Kitty L. Murray of Colonial Heights; son, Jamie Murray; three sisters; four brothers; a granddaughter; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Saturday in Colonial Heights. E. Alvin Small Funeral Home of Colonial Heights, is in charge of arrangements. Audrey C. O'Neal THOMSON, Ill. -- The graveside service for Audrey C. O'Neal will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 12, at the Glenwood Cemetery, Bristol Tennessee. Mrs. O'Neal, age 76, died Tuesday, July 8, 2003, at Mercy Medical Center, Clinton, Iowa. Weaver Funeral Home, Bristol Tennessee, will be in charge of graveside services. Arrangements in Illinois were by Law-Jones Funeral Home, Thomson, (800) 525- 2264. Memorials may be given to the York Township Library in Audrey's name. Ora R. Ratliff GRUNDY -- Ora Ratliff Ratliff, 90 years of age, of the Little Prater Section, passed away Thursday, July 10, 2003, at her home following an extended illness. Born in Buchanan County, she was a daughter of the late Muncy W. and Gertrude Davis Ratliff. She was a life-long resident of Buchanan County and a member of Looney's Chapel United Methodist Church. She was educated at Grundy Presbyterian School, was a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and a homemaker. Mrs. Ratliff was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Dillard Ratliff, July 10, 1990. She was also preceded in death by one son, Jerry James Ratliff; two brothers, Ellis and Bittle Ratliff; infant grandson, Timothy Barton; and one half-sister, Lydia Ramey. She is survived by one daughter, Mabel and husband Victor Mullins, Grundy; three sons, Harold E. Shortridge, Grundy, Raymond and wife Sandra Ratliff, Bland, Va., and Wesley and wife Shirley (Sally) Ratliff, Grundy; one sister, Della Mae Vandyke, Grundy; and one daughter-in-law, Janet Ratliff, Davenport, Va. Also, she is survived by eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Ora Ratliff Ratliff will be conducted Saturday, July 12, 2003, at 11 a.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel, with Evangelist Michael Trent, Evangelist Jerry Edwards and Rev. Don Ashby officiating, with burial to follow in the Hibbitts Cemetery, Grundy. Active pallbearers will be Daniel Stiltner, James McClanahan, Johnny Paul McClanahan, Gerald Vanover, Charles Vanover, Ronnie Vanover, Shane Scott and Eddie McConnell. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. J.G. Patel, 3rd and 4th floor nursing staff of Buchanan General Hospital, men of Grundy Bible Church, Marty Stiltner and Jason Ratliff. Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy is in charge of all arrangements. Ervin J. Rife POUND, Va. -- Ervin J. Rife passed away Friday, July 11, 2003, at Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital, Norton. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Baker Funeral Home, Pound. Amber C. Royston BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Funeral service for Amber Cheyenne Royston will be held Saturday, July 12, 2003, at 2 p.m. in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Dean Livingston officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Joie Shaffer, Charles Hudson, Dewayne Jones, Johnny Royston Jr., Brad Childress and Cody Blevins. Online condolences may be sent at www.weaverfuneralhome.net. Donations may be sent to Weaver Funeral Home, 630 Locust St., Bristol, TN 37620. Amber Cheyenne Royston, age 5, of 238 Basham Hill Road, passed away Tuesday, July 8, 2003, in the Johnson City Medical Center. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mack Curtis Vance HONAKER -- Funeral services for Mr. Mack Curtis "Curt" Vance will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel, Honaker, with Evangelist Dennis Wimmer officiating. Interment will follow in Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill, Va. Relatives and friends will serve as pallbearers. Mr. Vance, age 73, passed away Wednesday morning, July 9, 2003, in a Lebanon hospital. William Jesse Watson GLADE SPRING, Va. -- A graveside funeral service for William Jesse Watson will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 12, 2003, at the Old Glade Presbyterian Church Cemetery, with Brother Buster Mullins officiating. Interment will follow the funeral service. Casket bearers will be Tim Jones, Nathan Thomas, Bobby Blevins, Wayne Watson, Hunter Watson and Blake Watson. Honorary casket bearers will be Johnnie B. Osborne and Jason Lester. Those attending the service are asked to meet at the cemetery by 10:50 a.m. Saturday. Those wishing to send memories or messages of sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com. Mr. Watson, age 91, of the Grace Health Care Center and formerly of Glade Spring, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, July 9, 2003, at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon. Farris Funeral Service, 427 E. Main St., Abingdon, is serving the family of Mr. William Jesse Watson.